We're Reminding You, The Valentine's Day Card Came From Worcester

WORCESTER, MA—Most Worcesterites know this, but we'll remind you again for good measure: the Valentine's Day card was invented here. Here's why you have to dish out sometimes up to $10 on a perfectly worded expression of love with a nice drawing of a heart or cupid.

Esther A. Howland, a 1847 graduate of Mount Holyoke, hand-made the first American commercial Valentines, according to the Worcester Historical Museum. As the story goes, her father, a stationer in Worcester, imported cards those cards every year from England, but she used lace and other special materials to make her own. No two were ever the same. In the first year, a $5,000 profit was made from the cards sold at the store.

Howland hooked up with Edward Taft (the son of Jotham Taft, who is sometimes credited with being the first commercial Valentines maker in America) in 1879 to create the New England Valentine Company.

By the late 1880s, George Whitney – a Worcester native and Civil War veteran – had taken over his brother’s stationery store, renaming it The Whitney Valentine Company. He also bought out other local competitors (including Esther Howland), and the business boomed. By 1915, 90 percent of Valentines exchanged on this holiday came from Worcester.

Thanks to the Worcester Historical Society for this slice of Worcester history.

Photos via Worcester Historical Society